Gasly or Gorgeous Guest Rooms

When I consult on homes it amazes me how often guest rooms are neglected.  Folks will clean like they were prepping for surgery, blow the bank on groceries and cook an exotic meal to impress company.

Yet lumpy beds with worn comforters prevail.  The lack of amenities is crazy wrong!  No dual lamps on bedside tables, no clocks, plugs covered so guests can't charge their phones, no extra blankets, pillows, towels.  Then their are the throw-me-down pillows from the master or college.  I could wax poetic for many paragraphs....  Why are guests rooms always the last rooms to get attention?

Wouldn't you rather stay here?

LifewithGrace

 Than here?  These pictures are from homes I have consulted on.

Gorgeous Guest Rooms

Emily Henderson:Flowers! Clock! Lamps! Books!

I also like to leave current magazines, a popular books, candy dish with chocolates, a bud vase with a pretty bloom, and a small basket with little shampoos, conditioners, shower cap, asprin and other personal items my guests might have forgotten.

Pinterest: Feather bed! Lamp! Clock! Flowers!

CarlaLaneInteriors A Chair! A Lamp! Books! Flowers!

SO WHAT"S THE WORST GUEST ROOM YOU'VE EVER STAYED IN?

The Bee's Have It

A deacon's bench has been on my porch for many years.  My husband brought it in yesterday so I would have room to stack some outgoing staging stuff.

Bing

 Last summer Carpenter Bees decided it was tasty and drilled a hole into it.  My exterminator adores lecturing on the malice of insects.  I admit I nodded off somewhere between the mating habits and destruction at maturation.  Exterminator John sprayed it after removing the batting I stuffed inside and duct tape barrier I had masterfully placed.  (Why did I think that would keep them out when they can bore through wood?) 

Mick's Exterminating

In the living room yesterday evening, I heard a buzzing extraordinaire.  There, on the window, was the largest bee I've ever seen.  I mean horror movie big.  And that sucker was ANGRY.  He whipped himself against the window over and over in a whirling dervish.   Mr. Cowboy came to my rescue with a paper towel and cradled him until released outside.

Later, I hear the same buzzzz.....zapppp....zappp into the window.  How can this bee (pun alert!)?  I saw #1 take flight.  Yep,  you got it! #2 was out of the coven ready to torment me.

Bing

Only with #2's appearance did we realized that somehow these boogers had endured the winter in  our deacon's bench.  I guess when the warm air inside hit them they decided to come out and play.

Can you imagine if that deacon's bench had been used for staging?

Just saying.....

Shopping is a Perk of Staging

I am always inspired when staging a new house to shop alot. This little beauty is PERFECT for staging.  It is small in scale and be used as an end table, bedside table, 'loveseat' (as opposed to sofa) table, or a console table in a hallway or foyer. Love-a-dub-dub multi use furniture!

 
I was shopping for fabric at Printers Alley and stumbled onto this little thing-y. The tag read, "pencil holder- $25".  That is crazy expensive but I was mad for it. It sported a Fluer de Lis on top AND, it twirls!  I adore interesting items for staging. Wouldn't it be cool holding napkins and cutlery or make up brushes in a bathroom?  Do you have any suggestions for other uses?  Oh! see that urn in the background?  I found that a local Rescue Mission store. I planted 3 small asparagus ferns in it.  Love the Old World charm of it and the fresh look of the ferns.

I was in a neighboring town and drove past "Steven's Consignment".  Maggie (my car) did an immediate U-Turn.  The nice lady climbed up high on a ladder to bring down this picture for my closer inspection.  SOLD!  I think I might keep in in our foyer instead of using it to stage. I'll show you an up close shot.  Then one of it in my foyer.  It shows how StagerLinda really lives.  No perfection here: coats strewn on chairs, dog lease and cowboy's smokes out, wrapped hostess gift ready for delivery...it's real life babe!

The frame on this picture is tres riche. The colors are captivating and the composition unusual and interesting.

Better start prepping for my staging on Tuesday: pulling inventory, Windex-ing pictures and accessories, washing and ironing linens, hit the grocery for my Granny Smith apples, creating practice vignettes, wrapping, packing and loading. 

It's S.A.D.D. but I'm Baaaaack!

THANK YOU for your support during my recent respite from blogland. I missed ya soooo much! The sun has finally shone and the rains stopped.  Could I have fallen victim of SADD? 

Nuff o That
I'm back and I've been shopping!  Retail therapy works wonders.  I have an upcoming staging and needed some contemporary accessories to marry with the sellers traditional ones.

Look at these YUMMY candlesticks--well, they ain't 'sticks'. They are big and curvy (like moi!).  The sculptural lines make my heart sing. They are not screaming-school-bus yellow but ooh-la-laa-notice-me-yellow-GLOSS-tastic!

Scored this pillow, too.  Can you see the raised design? That lusty big ole red bloom is what sold me.

You know I am a lamp  freak. These big boys whistled at me!  Love their clean lines and brushed nickel accents.

In the words of Tina Turner, red is "simply the best, better than all the rest". Look at these sexy Chinese Red lacquered boxes! I couldn't stop at one.  Two is much more fun.

Atrophe of A Post

Hello all of  my lovelies!

I think of you daily and sit down to write to you....and nothing will spill out of me.  Hmmmm....this is so disconcerting.  It is not for a lack material.  I have achieves of tips and tales.  I've been busy with   new clients.  Stories abound...

Lots of good stuff, but still no flow, no cohesion -- just lots chaotic gibberish.
My best effort is a wee line or two or uninspired blah-bah-blah.

Big, Big Sigh

Methinks I have fallen prey to:   (enter music cue: Da Da Dom..)

The  "One Year Anniversary Curse!"
   .
Yea, I know it doesn't exist.  It is just some Cra-Cra thing I have invented to use as an excuse.

Please hang with me my lovelies.
 
StagerLinda will  reappear.  She is just waiting for her  moo-ju to realign with her muse.


Hope all of you have a glorious weekend.